PEBBLES TOY STORE
Client: Pebbles
Services: Architecture, Interior Design, Graphic Design, Strategy
Pebbles Toy Store was a dream project— a local community toyshop where we could bring together architecture and graphics into a playful place for the children of New Haven. The name Pebbles alludes to the looming landmass of East Rock, the namesake of the neighborhood; Pebbles became the moniker for the blue snail logo for the store, and his journey around the city shaped our approach to the design. A snail’s trail of colorful lines stretches inside and outside the store, and custom furniture was inspired by the snail’s wiggly path. The colorful branding features Pebbles and all his friends on wrapping paper, gift cards, signage, and custom stuffed animals.
At Pebbles, we blended old and new; we worked to restore and replace historic materials like tin tile ceilings and brick walls while we added in contemporary colors, forms, and materials. This historic building has been home to restaurants, dry cleaners, and food shops for generations, and we wanted to honor the cozy and lived-in quality of our local neighborhood store while adding in unexpected design elements.
